As technology grows, so does the need for entrepreneurs who have the skills to manage it. Below are 5 skills all business owners need to have in the digital age.
Project Management
While project management tasks can be entirely digital, you still need to know how to oversee your projects. You can use an online system or tool to help you (I like Asana,) but you still need to know how the system works, if it works well for you, and if it works well for your business.
There are so many online tools that claim to help with project management, so testing them out is the best method to find one that works for you. Once you’ve chosen a system, start utilizing it right away to help you organize the projects in your business.
Project management has become easier in the digital age, but as a business owner, you still need to oversee everything to make sure your business is running efficiently.
Social Media
Every business needs to have social media accounts because it helps you grow your business reach to an audience that wouldn’t have known you otherwise.
You don’t have to be knowledgeable about every social media platform, but it is helpful to at least have an account and presence with the major ones. Find where your target audience is, and build your accounts on the social media site they are using. You should become proficient using at least one or two of the major social media sites.
Website Development
You don’t have to be a coder or know how to write in HTML or Javascript. However, you should know how to put a basic website together, even if it’s as simple as drag-and-drop. If you have trouble, you can always consult a web design expert but try to understand how it works first yourself.
Having a website shows that you are serious about your business in the digital world. Plus, your website can offer insight into your business, and serve as a professional portfolio. The possibilities are truly endless.
SEO
If you plan on having clients and customers see your business when they’re online, learning SEO (or search engine optimization) should be the one skill that’s at the top of your list to learn. SEO is extremely important for one reason: it helps people discover you.
When your website is optimized, people searching for the services you offer will find you, not your competitors!
Email Marketing
Keeping your audience coming back is important as a business owner. Having email marketing skills means that you’ll have a platform you can use to connect with your readers or customers and tell them about your sales, news, and updates.
While there are many email marketing platforms that will help you write emails quickly and easily, having a little bit of background knowledge will go a long way when marketing to your audience.
Ultimately, it’s important to continuously learn new skills as a business owner, and setting a goal every few months to learn a new skill and grow your business can help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
